Cab coupling



(No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet 1.

W. B. GUERNSEY. UAR COUPLING.

No. 464,866. Patented Dec. 8, 1891.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. B. GUERNSEY.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 464,866. Patented Dec. 8, 1891.

Emil-Lassa? ":x: mm: runs 00., mow-mum. Manhattan, a: c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. W. B. GUERNSEY; GAR COUPLING No. 464,866.Patented Dec. 8, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM B. GUERNSEY, OF NORIVIOH, NElV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO JANE M.GUERNSEY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COU PLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,866, dated December8, 1891.

Application filed July 18, 1890. $erial No. 359,159. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WIL IAM B. GUERNSEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Norwich, county of Chenango, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Vertical Couplers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention as above stated relates to certain improvements in thatclass of railwaycar couplings known as vertical couplers, or couplershaving opposed and complementary jaws moving on vertical pins or axes,which are adapted to automatically interlock and look when broughttogether with a certain amount of force and which will, by reason oftheir peculiar construction and of the locking pin or device, preventtheir separation without manual aid. This class of. car-couplings isusually known as the Janney type or as the master car-builders standard,and I will speak of it as such.

My special improvements relate to the dissociation of the draw-bar ordraw-head with whatI term the pull-rod draw-bo1t,or springbolt, wherebythe pulling strain heretofore directly applied from the knuckle to thedrawbar and thence transmitted to the said springbolt is in my inventiontransmitted from the knuckle directly to whatI term the pull-rod, thedraw-bar or draw-head serving as a guide and support for said pull-rod,a support for the vertically-pivoted jaws or couplers, and constituting,also, a bumper to-receive the inward stress or crushing force of abacking or coupling car, but transmitting no tensional strainwhatsoever.

My construct-ion is designed to dispense with many drawbacks in theoperation of vertical car-couplers now in use, particularly those whichare resultant from the inflexibility of a type which looks knucklesinfiexibly to draw-heads when the coupling has been effected. In suchcouplers curves and grade apexes tend to create great friction betweenthe opposing hooks, with frequent binding, and consequent breakages, or,perhaps, the hooks being small or worn with consequent uncoupling, or ifhooks be large or bent there maybe difficulty in making the coupling,all of which difficulties my invention avoids, besides making animproved pin-and-link coupler for the transition period between said oldstyle of link-couplers and the new style of an tomatic vertical hookcouplers.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

which form a part of this specification, Figure I is a longitudinalsection of my improved coupling device. Fig. II is a plan view in itsopen position. Fig. III is a plan view in its closed position. Fig. IVis a plan view of two couplers interlocking each other. Fig. V is an endview. Figs. VI, VII, and VIII are detail views which will be hereinafterreferred to.

In the drawings, A represents an ordinary box or casing of the draw-bar,and B the head.

0 is a draw-bolt having a collar 0, which is adapted to bear against theannular rim or shoulder a in the interior of the draw-bar casing, saidannular portion having a central orifice, through which the draw-bolt 0extends and through which it is adapted to move outwardly and inwardly.A bufferspring is shown at D, and is locked between the followers d andd by means of the keys E and e, which extend through the draw-bolt O onthe outer sides of the followers, the usual stops F and F being providedto limit the travel of the followers. Supplementary spring G isprovided, which rests at one end upon the collar aof the draw-headcasing and at the other end against the follower d.

Pivoted to the head B is the knuckle K, it being retained in position bya hinge-pin I, which fits snugly the journals in the drawhead, but hassome slight play in the journal J of the knuckle, said opening orjournal being slightly elongated to provide for its freedom of movement.This is shown in Fig. VI and outlines in Figs. II, III, and IV. Thedraw-bolt at its outer end is provided with a loop L, the opening L insaid loop being adapted for the reception of a locking-pin P. Thedraw-bolt is also provided at its outer end with a lug ordownwardly-extending pin Z, (shown in detail in Fig. VIL) whichinterlocks with the corresponding shoulder Z upon the knuckle K, towhich it is thus connected. This is also shown in Fig. I. By this meansthe knuckle is prevented from springing outwardly and beyond the desiredpoint, and when not in use the parts will be kept in the posit-ion shownin Fig. II, all ready for locking as soon as the approaching draw-headis brought into position and pressure applied.

The ordinary coupling-link N can be employed in connection with myinvention, and the openingO is provided for its reception, as shown 'inFig. V. Then the ordinary coupler is used in connection with mydrawhead, the parts assume the position shown in Fig. III. The draw-boltis in this case locked by the lock-pin P in its inmost position, and theknuckle is locked to the draw-bolt, but is independent of the draw-head,so that the pull will be transmitted entirely through the draw-bolt andthat no strain will come upon the draw-head. For looking with itself orwith another style of vertical coupler the continuous bearing-surfacesof the couplingjaws are so constructed that when they are thrust againsteach other they will move inwardly, causing the interlocking, asdesired, and this condition is further brought about by the position ofthe hinge-pin I, which is placed outside of the striking line, thestriking line being at the outermost point of the knuckle, as shown at sin Fig. II. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. II and theopposing draw-heads are approaching each other, the lock-pin P isstanding in the curved slot S of the draw-head and is resting on theouter end of the draw-bolt. When the thrust is continued and the partsare brought together, the said lock-pin will drop into the positionshown in Fig. IV, so that the moving draw-heads will be locked togetherby their respective hooks or knuckles, each knuckle being locked by itslock-pin to its respective spring-bolt, and the pull, when applied, willcome entirely on the pull-rod, no tensional strain being transmittedthrough the drawhead. 7

In Figs. II,'III, and V, I have shown clefts T and N, through which thehand can be inserted and the ordinary link-coupling can be effectedwithout danger.

It will be noticed that in coupling with another hook the lock-pin Pcannot drop into or through the hole L in the draw-bolt L until the drawor buffer head has been compressed a short distance against thedraw-spring D and that such compression of the draw-spring is maintainedby the completion and maintenance of the coupling. This connectioninsures a close couplingno free slackand is a very important feature ofmyimprovement.

In the claims I eliminate the term drawbar and employ therefor the worddrawhead and use the term draw-bolt in connection with the bolt C,arranged independently of the draw-head.

.Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim asnew therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. Ina car-coupling, the combination of the draw-head, the swingingknuckle pivoted 2. In a car-coupling of the J anney type, thecombination of a draw-head, a draw-bolt arrangedtherein andindependently thereof, a knuckle connected to the outer end of thedraw-bolt, whereby the pull will be transmitted entirely through thesaid draw-bolt, as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination of the vertical coupling jaw orknuckle, the drawhead having the knuckle pivoted thereto, as shown, anda draw-bolt extending through the draw-head and connected to the knuckleat its outer end, all adapted to operate substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

4. In a'car-coupling, the combination of the knuckle, the draw-headhaving the knuckle pivoted thereto, as shown, the draft-spring, and adraw-bolt extending through the drawhead and connected to the knuckle atits outer end and locked or keyed to the draw-spring at its inner end,as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a car-coupling of the Janney type, a draw-head, ahorizontallyswinging knuckle, and a draw-bolt arranged independently ofthe draw-head, whereby the latter will be relieved of all tensionalstrain and the pull be comm unicated through the knuckle an d drawbolt.

tS. In a car-coupling, the combination of the draw-bar provided with ahead or butter adapted to receive concussions and pressure from thecontiguous coupler, a vertical coupling jaw or knuckle adapted to lockwith and be unlocked by from the draw-bolt in coupling and uncoupling,and the independent draw-bolt, as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In a car-coupling of the J anney type, the combination of theverticalhook orknuckle, the independent draw-bolt, a draw-head, and abuffer-spring so arranged and related to the aforesaid knuckle anddraw-bolt that the said draw-head will be forced backward against theresistance of the buffer-spring in orderto efiect a coupling.

8. In a car-coupling of the Janney type, the draw-head and a knucklelocked to the draw-bolt and communicating draft tensions through itselfand said draw-bolt independently of the draw-head.

9. In a car-coupling of the Janneytype, the combination of draw heads,swinging knuckles arranged to interlock with each other, and draw-boltsindependent of the drawheads, whereby the pull istransmitted through theknuckles and draw-bolts independently of the draw-heads.

10. In a car-coupling of the Janney type,

through the knuckles and draw-heads, as set forth.

11. In a coupler of the J anney type, a knuckle swinging inward or to aclosed position until its nose comes in contact with the butter-head, apin-hole in or near the joint or elbow of the knuckle, whereby acoupling can be made with a link when desirable and the buifing bereceived and transmitted through the substance of the knuckle directlyto the face of the butter-head, as shown.

12. In a car-coupling, the combination of a vertical jaw or knuckle, adraw-head in which said knuckle is swiveled, and means, substantially asshown and described, upon the drawbolt for restraining the outward swingof the knuckle and maintaining a definite limit of opening, as and forthe purposes set forth.

13. In a car-coupling, the combination of the draw-head, the swingingknuckle swiveled thereto,arearwardly-extending draw-bolt connectedthereto and formed independently of the draw-head and provided with anopening at its outer end for the reception of the coupling-pin, theparts being so arranged that the pin will drop automatically in a lockedposition when theknuckle is thrust inwardly,

as set forth.

14. In a car-coupling, the combination of the draw-head, the swingingknuckle swiveled thereto and provided with a groove and stop, as shown,the independent draw-bolt, the draw-spring to which it is locked, and alug or finger upon the outer end of the drawbolt, fitting in the grooveof the knuckle, whereby the outward swing of the said knuckle isdefinitely limited.

15. In a car-coupling, the combination of the opposing draw-heads, thevertical coupling hooks or knuckles swiveled thereto by means ofheel-pins, substantially as shown and described,independent draw-boltsadapted to receive the pull from the coupling-hooks when linked thereto,the coupler-faces and locking-toe being so constructed-and related toeach other that when coupled and locked the tensional stress will tendproportionately to maintain the integrity of the couplings.

16. In a car-coupling, the combination of the opposed draw-heads,knuckles acting as buffers, draw-bolts arranged independently of thedraw-heads, so as to be free from thedraw-head movements, and adapted tobe interlocked through the medium of the knuckles when the cars arecoupled.

17. In a car-coupling ot' the Janney type, the vertically faced couplingjaws -so constructed that in order to interlock the drawspring mustfirst be compressed, in combination with a draw-spring arrangedsubstan-. tially as shown and described, whereby a closed coupling ismaintained.

18. In a car-coupling, a draw-head, an independent draW-bolt soconstructed at its forward end as to admit of its being locked andunlocked to a vertical coupling hook or knuckle, in combination withsaid coupling hook or knuckle swiveled to the draw-head, and thecoupling-pin, as set forth.

19. In a car-coupling, the combination of a butter-head, a rotary orswinging verticalfaced hook or knuckle, a draw or springbolt, with alocking-pin or other device for locking and unlocking the knuckle to thebolt in the act of coupling and uncoupling.

20. In a coupler, the combination of 'alouffer-head, a rotary orswinging vertical-faced hook or knuckle, a draw or spring bolt, and alocking-pin, all the parts being so related that the tensional strainwill be transmit-ted through the knuckle and bolt independently of thebuffenhead and buffer stresses will be borne by the buffer-head, towhich they are transmitted through opposing knuckles.

WILLIAM I3. GUERNSEY.

Witnesses:

HERBERT KNIGHT, GEORGE S. BELL.

